Texas FD Goes Two Years Without Defibrillator Battery

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Aug. 07--RIO HONDO -- The volunteer fire department's defibrillator hasn't

worked for about two years because officials failed to buy a battery to

operate it, firefighters said Friday.

The department failed to fund the purchase of a $159 battery to run the

machine that is used to treat life-threatening heart rhythms in patients,

Ray , the department's former assistant chief, said. " That's a big

liability. "

said he left the department in June after an argument with then-Public

Safety Director Humberto Barrera, adding, " It's (the defibrillator) not a

priority for them. "

Arnold , the department's assistant chief, said officials with South

Texas Emergency Care, the agency which oversees the department's equipment,

knew the department was working without a defibrillator.

But Pete Moreno, STEC's training director, said he was surprised to learn

that the fire department went two years without a working defibrillator.

" It's vital. It's lifesaving, " Moreno said. " We had no idea of that

situation. They're responsible to make sure that the (defibrillator) is

checked off on a regular basis. They make sure it's operational. If there's

an issue with any of their equipment, they need to report it to us. "

City Commissioner Gloria Barrientos, who took office in May, said she didn't

know the fire department's defibrillator was not working.

Barrientos said she wanted to find out why the department went two years

without buying a battery for the unit.

City Administrator Arturo Prida could not be reached for comment Friday.

Moreno, who said his agency has donated defibrillators to the Arroyo City

volunteer fire department and the Rancho Viejo Police Department, said the

agency would donate a defibrillator to the fire department.

" We're going to get what they need out there to help them out, " Moreno said.

The department didn't buy a battery because it was awaiting a grant to pay

for the purchase, said , who took over as assistant chief in June.

The city would fund the purchase if the department didn't get the grant, he

said.

The Texas Department of State Health Services, the agency that licenses the

fire department to respond to medical emergencies, will offer the department

a grant to buy a battery, DeLoma, an agency spokeswoman in Austin,

said.

The state does not require that first responders such as the fire department

be equipped with defibrillators, she said.

said he worked with the department since 2003, and planned to ask

Prida to be reinstated as assistant chief.

said he left the department in June after an argument with Barrera.

" I was questioning him because he wasn't going to our fire meetings, " he

said.

said Barrera asked him to fill in for him at the meetings. " He just

told me to turn in my gear. To me, that was not an official dismissal. "

Barrera resigned last month to take a higher paying job as an investigator

with the Cameron County District Attorney's Office. He could not be reached

for comment.